Time to spice things up for fall
Cathie Campbell/For The Madera Tribune If you like cupcakes and pumpkin pie, how about combining the two?
One of my favorite things about fall is the flavor of pumpkin pie spice.You see it offered in coffee creamers, pastries, pie of course, ice cream and many other delights.
As I type this, I am finishing a decaf coffee flavored with pumpkin pie spice creamer. I felt lucky to have found any, as the past couple of years, when I look in grocery stores, all the pumpkin spice creamers are gone. The one I got was the last one left in the refrigerator case. There was a woman behind me, waiting for her turn to choose a coffee creamer, and I hope the poor dear wasn’t hoping to find pumpkin spice flavor! If I had known she was, would I have given it to her? Probably, but the greedy side of me is kind of glad it didn’t come to that.
Here is a recipe for making your own spice blend and more recipes you can make that call for the spice blend. I hope you are enjoying the change in seasons as much as I am. Pumpkin pie spice blend
From the folks at Betty Crocker. The spices are all in dry, ground form. 3 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons cloves 1. Thoroughly blend all ingredients together. Store in tightly sealed container in cool, dry place. Homemade liquid coffee creamer
The pumpkin spice version. Not sugar free.
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup cream or half and half
For pumpkin spice flavor:
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla 1. For creamer: Mix sweetened condensed milk and cream together. A canning jar works well, or use an empty (and washed) liquid coffee creamer container.
2. For pumpkin spice mix: Blend all ingredients together. Add the spices to the liquid mixture and shake well.
3. For best results, shake creamer well before using each time.
Pumpkin pull-apart bread
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1 can (8-count) Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (homestyle or buttermilk, not flaky)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk 1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8-by-4-inch or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray (the one made specifically for baking that contains flour).
2. In a bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and egg. Set aside.
3. Open the can of biscuits and slice each in half horizontally. Stir together remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Coat each slice of raw biscuit dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
4. Lay one slice of dough flat on your work surface. Spread some pumpkin mixture on top, then place another biscuit piece on top. Add more pumpkin mixture and continue stacking, spreading, and layering until you have used up all of the biscuits and pumpkin. Place carefully into the pan.
5. Bake for about 18 to 24 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is cooked through. Cool the loaf before applying the glaze. Note: the center shouldn’t be raw, but will be moist and gooey. If the top starts to brown too fast, cover with foil and reduce oven temperature to 325.
6. For the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and heavy whipping cream until smooth. Drizzle over loaf, pull apart, and serve. Note: I lower the temperature and use foil, as suggested in the recipe, if it is browning too fast or tending to be too under-cooked in center. Pumpkin pie cupcakes
The centers are moist like pie. 1 can (15-oz.) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with silicone liners, foil liners sprayed with cooking spray (paper liners make it difficult to remove the cooked cupcakes), or just spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and evaporated milk. Add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture and stir until all ingredients are well blended.
3. Fill each muffin cup with 1/3 cup of the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
4. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top. Makes 12 cupcakes.
